


dewey decimal your way to my heart

by listenup_folks



Category: fifth harmony - Fandom
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-12
Updated: 2017-01-12
Packaged: 2018-09-16 23:22:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9294242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/listenup_folks/pseuds/listenup_folks
Summary: that one where Lauren volunteers at Camila's high school library and Camila's got a bit of a crush





	

"Lauren! Hey Lo, I was hoping you'd be in today, not that I didn't know you would be but-" Camila rambles and giggles to herself quietly, "sorry just, I got you something this weekend."

Lauren blushes deeply from where she's standing but manages to shoot the younger girl a reassuring smile. 

"I know you're a John Green fan because well who isn't but also I noticed you were reading Looking For Alaska last week and also that it's a worn copy meaning you've read it a lot before if my assumptions are correct and also," Camila pauses to breathe but doesn't have any shame in her obvious notice of Lauren's activity, "I'd seen you reading it in the earlier months this year so I figured you might want a new copy? Hardcover and author's edition?" she shyly smiles as she pulls the gift out of her back pack. "I know worn copies are meaningful from that time we talked about them last month but I also know author's edition is the cat's pajamas and I couldn't resist buying it," Camila continues, smiling even brighter when she notices the flush on Lauren's face.

"Camz you- you shouldn't have really," Lauren replies as she slowly takes the offered book out of the girl's hands, cheeks flushing in surprise and a shy smile covering her beautiful lips. "I mean I love it really I do but- but I didn't get you anything and now I feel-"

"Oh shush Lo you give me the gift of book advice and your presence to make school less torture," Camila winks at the end and Lauren flushes even more making Camila chuckle. "Now, now that that's settled, what are we alphabetizing today?" Camila asks with a raised eyebrow as she looks at the stack of books Lauren has on the cart in front of her.

"Just N to Z in history for this period, Camz," Lauren answers, grinning shyly as the younger girl grabs a book and begins scanning the numbers and letters that make up the Dewey Decimal system. 

Lauren used to blush and argue with Camila whenever the younger girl tried to spend her lunch period helping Lauren with work, and she still blushes but she's come to terms with Camila's consistent begging to help and refusal to move until Lauren lets her. She's been used to Camila putting up a fight and finally stopped arguing over it in March of the girl's junior year.

The first time Lauren met Camila was in the October of the younger girl's junior year. Lauren was 20 years old and starting her part time job at the high school's library while she took education courses. Camila had been looking for a biography about Aaron Burr for her AP United States History class when she stumbled upon the older girl and was immediately smitten as soon as she saw her face. 

"Lauren!" Camila shouts as she enters the library spotting the girl behind the counter as usual. Camila chuckles and shrugs sheepishly when the head librarian, Mrs. Hetrich scolds her with a shush. Mrs. Hetrich just shook her head with a small smile, already used to Camila's enthusiasm when it came to Lauren and not minding one bit (she had to keep up appearances though, so she still occasionally told them to quiet down).

Lauren perks up at the younger girl's voice, eyes snapping up to the entrance to find Camila dragging a gorgeous dark skinned girl by their interlocked hands towards her. Camila meets her gaze since she's already looking at Lauren and smiles brightly, waving with her free hand as she tugs her friend (?) over to Lauren.

"Hey Lo," Camila greets as she stops and leans on her elbows over the counter Lauren's stamping new book donations at. The girl accompanying Camila smiles but looks between the two girls curiously. "This is my friend Mani, Mani this is Lauren as you know," the youngest of the three introduces with a flush on her face because being with Lauren just makes her flush, especially since Lauren is in her glasses which makes her look a hundred times more adorable than usual, which Camila never thought would be possible. 

"It's nice to finally be able to put a face to the name I hear so often," Normani teases, reaching a hand forward which Lauren takes as her cheeks turn even more red at Normani's words. Camila is shamelessly smiling at the pair, not minding that Mani just exposed her because Lauren can obviously tell she has a crush on her and it's not a huge deal. 

"You too," Lauren replies with her usual shy grin. "It's good to see Camila with a friend too, I was starting to think she just had the books," she attempts to joke and to her relief the high schoolers both break into a fit of laughter. 

"Oh c'mon Lo, you know there's nothing wrong with just having the books, besides I've got you too right?" Camila teases back with her usual flirty grin and Lauren flushes slightly and Normani jst observes her best friend interacting with the girl she's apparently head over heels for. 

"Yeah umm, yeah that's right," Lauren replies after a moment of just blushing, nervously fiddling with her fingers. 

Camila hadn't been secretive with her crush, but Lauren was as oblivious as an oak tree (A/N go along with the oak tree, I hear they're clueless af), and she didn't want to assume anything so she came to the conclusion that Camila was just a flirty person with everyone and it was just friendly to her. 

But Camila lived in hopes that maybe someday the shy other girl would just maybe kiss her to shut her up like people do in movies, whenever she's anxiously rambling on with the compliments. The first few months Camila had been a little more creepy about it. Like she wouldn't go up to Lauren, she'd just kind of go to the library any chance she got (as in lunch and study and sometimes she'd even go after school and pretend to be using the computers for stuff) and she'd kind of just watch Lauren. 

Okay that sounds way too creepy but it was innocent really. Lauren knew she did it too, she would often get caught staring and Lauren would blush a hundred shades of red and shoot Camila a smile before going back to whatever small task she had her hands filled with. 

Finally after about two months of this, Normani had given her the tough love and told her that if she kept it up then the librarian would never give her a chance because she'd think she was creepy. Normani had been with Camila a few times and knew that Lauren didn't exactly mind, just got flustered, but two months was pushing it so she urged Camila to either make a move or ban herself from the library. 

Normani was surprised to say the least when Camila got up right away (since they were already in the library, since they always were) and made her way over to where Lauren was transferring stacks of books to the cart and took a stack herself. She honestly though Camila would have just chickened out but she didn't mind being proven wrong when Camila greeted her after the period with a smile that matched the raven haired girl who Normani noticed watching Camila exit. 

But that's when the flirting started. And like the flirting wasn't inappropriate ever but it was obvious and Lauren never picked up on it. Camila hoped it was just because Lauren was as shy as she seemed and didn't like making the first move herself, but she had always been slightly afraid that maybe Lauren was dating someone else, or married to someone else, or even straight and not interested in any way even in the slightest. 

One time she'd seen Lauren in the grocery store. It was unexpected and Camila was out of breath from trying to catch up with Sofi but then she was out of breath because a goddess walked in her gaze and the wind got knocked out of her. 

"Lauren? Hey Lo, this is so weird seeing you out of school," Camila greets as she had tugged Sofi closer by the shoulder so she wouldn't run off again. 

"Yeah Camz, hey! How's umm... how's your break going?" Lauren asks in a shy voice but before Camila has a chance to answer they're interrupted. 

"Laurenzo, they didn't have any caramels only but do you think a variety assortment is okay?" Mysterious new girl had asks and Camila feels her stomach drop. 

"Yeah she should love it," Lauren answers calmly as she turns back to smile at Camila. "Camz, this is my sister Lexa. Lex, this is Camila, she goes to the school I work the library for," Lauren introduces nervously and Camila lets out a breath she didn't known she was holding and reaches out her free hand to greet the slim brunette who smiles in recognition at the name. 

"It's nice to meet you, Camila was it?" Lexa asks with a small smirk growing on her lips and Camila nodded because hadn't Lauren just said that? Before Lexa can open her mouth again with now a huge grin Lauren elbows her in the ribs making her squeak out in pain and Camila chuckles in confusion. "Sorry she's just impatient, we have to go get my girlfriend presents, she's just passed some medical tests but it was nice to finally meet you," Lexa smiles and Camila smiles back because Lauren's family is really charming wow, and Camila also misses the fact that "finally" shouldn't have been in that sentence. 

"It was nice to meet you too," Camila smiles as she feels Sofi tug her hand back towards where she suspects their mom is now waiting. "Lo I'll see you next week? I'm glad I got to see you halfway through I was missing your face," she grins and Lexa lets out a choked sound and Lauren blushes so red that Camila's afraid she'll catch on fire, but she doesn't care about what she said cause it's Lauren and she likes complimenting her. "Anyways this one is tugging me away too but goodbye" Camila gestures to Sofi who smiles innocently at the girls before turning to go.

"Bye Camz" Lauren says quietly but Camila is used to her tone so she spins quickly and shoots one last smile that makes Lexa grin and Lauren blush even more before she's on her way with Sofi. 

That had been her sister though, and Camila probably would've figured that out by their looks if she took time to over analyze it, but the next girl doesn't look like her sister. She looks nothing like Lauren but she's still beautiful. 

It has already been a pretty long day for Camila, a history test first period, a double block or calculus next, and no study until after a lunch that Lauren was nowhere to be found in. 

"Lauren hey," Camila greets as she makes her way over to the counter the green eyed girl is always stationed at. "I didn't see you at lunch today but I'm glad you're- oh hi," Camila stops mis thought because she notices the blonde sitting in Lauren's wheely chair sipping from a coffee cup that Camila recognizes as one Lauren always has in the morning. 

She's gorgeous, the girl sitting there (Lauren too obviously). Blonde, long, wavy hair, clear skin, beautifully curvy but also noticeably muscular. Her eyes are blue, a lighter shade that would be easy to get lost in and her smile back at Camila as she notices her is kind of shy but kind of smug and Camila can't read it. 

"Hello," the other girl speaks because Lauren is staring at Camila smiling so she figures she'll introduce herself. "I'm Clarke," she smiles and rolls her wheely chair over until it hits Lauren's legs and she can reach her arm out for Camila to shake. The senior takes it reluctantly, trying hard to not admit to herself that they're soft because they're totally not and who is this pretty girl with her librarian girl? 

"Yeah umm Camila meet Clarke, Clarke this is Camila she's a senior here," Lauren explains, hands fiddling with the pen in her hand. Camila smiles as fake a smile as she can muster to Clarke who grins back because she can't like ignore the new girl but also why is Lauren making it seem like Camila is just another student. 

She's too busy being stupidly jealous that Clarke's head is leaning against Lauren that she doesn't notice the teasing smirk Clarke shoots Lauren or the blush and look of threat on Lauren's face in reply. 

"So you're the infamous Camila?" Clarke grins and Camila snaps her head to meet her eyes and is confused because how does she know her name? "Lauren's mentioned you once or twice, probably the only reason she came back as a volunteer after they got rid of the job for payment-"

"Clarke shut up," Lauren interrupts and Camila's eyes snap back to the raven haired girl who's blushing more than she's ever seen and rubbing at her forehead with her hand as the other still fiddles with that pen. 

"Oh sorry Laur, did she not know that?" Clarke grins and Camila feels kind of bad because Lauren definitely looks more embarrassed than ever but Camila's really not even focusing on what Clarke's saying, she's more focusing on how Clarke's head has been leaning on Lauren's stomach for like a few minutes now and now Clarke's hand is squeezing Lauren's as she fakes an apology, obviously still teasing Lauren. 

"I actually have to go," Clarke begins, realizing Camila isn't really paying attention just glaring down at the table and noticing Lexa is off break now and probably up for the movies or something. 

"It was nice meeting you Camila," she smiles to the high schooler before getting up and pulling Lauren into a tight hug because she's always loved how flustered Lauren gets so she hugs her more just to make the adorable younger girl blush. "Lo, I'll see you at home, kay?" she says once she's pulled away, pecking Lauren's cheek to see her bush again and then grabbing her bag. "Don't do anything I wouldn't," she winks over her shoulder and makes her way towards the exit. 

"Hey Camz, sorry I wasn't at lunch.. Clarke wanted to do lunch but umm-"

"It's fine Lauren I had to talk to a teacher anyways," Camila interrupts before Lauren can finish explaining why she wasn't there.

"Oh well I'm still sorry anyways I just umm, I didn't know how long it was going to take and Mrs. Hetrich had said-"

"Lauren really it's fine," Camila snaps and she wants to apologize because Lauren's sad face is really sad but she kind of feels like she's been led on for a year and a half because like Lauren hadn't been flirting back but she thought- actually Camila had nothing to base it off of and that feels worse now. "Look sorry I didn't mean to snap," Camila caves because Lauren had dropped her gaze to the table and she never wanted to see Lauren not smiling again. 

"But umm... I have to go, I forgot Mr. Simpson wanted me to go back to get more notes since he couldn't find them at lunch so I'll just umm... bye Lauren," Camila says looking at Lauren to gage some sort of reaction and Lauren's face kind of drops but Camila needs to get out of the library for a few.

"Okay, yeah I'll umm- I'll be here I guess," Lauren mumbles back nervous as to what she could have done and it doesn't matter because Camila is already heading for the door. 

A few ends up being a week. 

Camila hadn't really meant to but she avoided the library as much as possible. She'd see Lauren in the hall occasionally and when the older girl would send her small smile Camila would naturally shift her eyes to the ground, which made her feel like the biggest bitch in the world because eventually Lauren stopped looking to and that was even worse than the sad look that covered Lauren's face when Camila didn't reciprocate a smile. 

It's that week's Friday, when Camila goes to the library and Lauren isn't in that Camila thinks maybe she royally fucked up. When Mrs. Hetrich sends her a sympathetic smile when she sees Camila scanning the room she thinks that answers whether or not Lauren's still there. 

She might be a bit over dramatic and self centered thinking that Lauren would quit just because of her, but she doesn't second guess the fact that Lauren is gone. 

She's proven wrong of course after school. She always passes the library again on her way out and she used to pop her head in to say goodbye to Lauren band sometimes even go in and help Lauren finish up for the day, but she stopped doing that this past week. 

She knows Lauren enough to know that if she wanted to talk to her again she'd have to be the one to initiate the communication because the green eyed beauty was unbelievably afraid of confrontation from what Camila picked up. Like one time some guys had been giving Lauren a tough time, not sitting still and being too loud and throwing things around and Lauren had tried to scold them, tell them to be quiet but she made the mistake of showing fear when one of them talked back so, but Camila didn't let it slip for a second and stood in front of Lauren to yell at them for her. 

She may have gotten kicked out of the library that day because she tried to fight one of the boys who was teasing Lauren but it was 100% worth it because the next day Lauren hugged her. 

So she's surprised when she's peaking through the window of the door and it suddenly swings back and Lauren is there. She's even more surprised when Lauren grabs her arm and tugs her down the hall to a more private corridor. 

Lauren doesn't speak at first, and Camila doesn't know what to say because she's staring into Lauren's eyes for the first time in a week and she remembers why she was so infatuated right off the bat because they're the most captivating eyes she's ever seen. 

"I'm umm.. I'm really sorry for whatever I did," Lauren starts quietly once she realizes Camila is waiting for her to say something. "I just... I really miss you in the library and I'm sorry if I upset you somehow?"

"Lo," Camila breathes out and she feels even worse than she did before because Lauren was probably blaming herself the whole week and over thinking everything since Camila knows she over thinks a lot. "Lo, you did nothing wrong I was just, I mean I was frustrated," Camila explains carefully, wanting to smack herself but not doing it, "I overreacted about my own stupid jealousy stuff and I just- I shouldn't have taken it out on you and I'm sorry I did. I actually went by at lunch today to apologize but you weren't there so umm... yeah," Camila trails off and trues not to cry over having to see a sad Lauren again. 

"I'm not- I mean I don't... god I'm just really not good at the whole socializing and flirting stuff and I just... I didn't want to make any assumptions and then I just... I'm sorry if I made you feel bad at all..." Lauren rambles, the subject catching Camila off guard as the older girl tugs nervously at the hem of her sweater.

"Lo you don't have to say sorry for anything," Camila answers again feeling awfully guilty and after a year and a half of wanting to she finally stops Lauren's nervous fiddling with her own hand, smiling softly at the older girl as she strokes the back of Lauren's hand with her thumb in what she hopes is comforting. 

"You never have to apologize to me, especially for anything like that. Not picking up on someone's flirting isn't something that's your fault. I mean I'm me, I'm awkward so when I developed this... crush on you I kinda flirted way to jokingly and hoped you would understand that I was serious but that was dumb. You're not a mind reader and you can't be expected to notice, and even if you did I'm not allowed to be mad if you just aren't interested, especially now that I've met your girlfriend, I mean she's pretty perfect," Camila finishes, really hoping Lauren isn't about to actually reject her. 

She'd been used to Lauren not getting it but flat out being told that she's not interested, that she's dating that Clarke girl, that would hurt a lot more than Camila was prepared for. 

"Camz I still feel awful that I was so oblivious for so long about- wait girlfriend?" Lauren asks with confusion written all over her face. 

"Clarke? I'm sorry for assuming things if you're not official yet but-" Camila begins but is cut off by Lauren's adorable giggle at the suggestion. 

"Camz," Lauren pants out between giggles as her face flushes red with laughter and it's enough to make Camila smile even if she has no idea what Lauren is laughing at. "Clarke is my sister's girlfriend. Remember I told you about Lexa? You even met her that time I saw you at Stop & Shop?" Lauren reminds her and Camila does remember that, she also remembers Lexa was buying chocolates and roses for her girlfriend to celebrate her passing her board tests. 

Now she feels dumb for avoiding Lauren like the plague for the past week. 

Not only that but she feels like shit when she reflects on how sad Lauren had looked whenever she walked by her without so much as a glance. 

"Oh," Camila breathes out, her face turning red at how childishly she had reacted to the whole scenario. "Oh, umm, I'm so sorry Lauren I shouldn't have assumed anything without talking to you and I- god I was so rude to you this week because I thought I was protecting my own feelings but I just made you sad and, fuck Lo I'm really sorry for acting like such a cry baby," Camila explains as she pushes her hair out of her face with both hands and resists the urge to smack herself for being so stupid. 

"Camz it wasn't... I get why you did Clarke can be really like touchy I guess... but she was teasing me, you didn't notice that?" Lauren asks and Camila looks at her with furrowed brows and shakes her head. 

Lauren takes in a deep breath before explaining because she does want to admit she likes Camila too so why not via Clarke? "She umm... she was talking about how I talk about you a lot? Because I do? Like a lot, I've kind of had a little bit of a crush on you too but I just- it's like what I said earlier, I'm just not that good at like the whole umm... the flirting and stuff?" Lauren offers up and Camila's hand is only holding her's limply now, but she's still holding it so Lauren uses her other hand to pull at her top and looks to the floor as Camila processes. 

"Oh," Camila breathes out, and it takes a few seconds but the hand holding Lauren's tightens again as she draws patterns with her thumb. "I umm... can I ask you something?" Camila questions after a moment, urging Lauren to look up and when she meets the nervous face of her favorite girl Camila knows she has to reassure her ASAP. 

"Yeah I umm... yeah," Lauren mumbles in reply.

"Well now that I know you're only a volunteer," Camila starts and looks around to make sure the hall is empty because she doesn't want anything to interrupt this. "Lauren Michelle Jauregui," she states, quickly dropping onto one knee and gripping Lauren's hand tighter as the older girl's face lights up with a smile and blush. "Will you do me the honor of going on a date with me?" Camila finishes and smiles brightly as a grin as bright as the moon takes over Lauren's face as the older girl nods enthusiastically. 

"Really?" Lauren asks as she pulls Camila back up to her feet.

"Really really," Camila replies and doesn't think twice before tugging Lauren into a hug. 

Lauren giggles into her neck, and her face feels warm so Camila assumes she's blushing, which makes Camila smile too because a blushing, giggly Lauren is the best one there is, she's sure of it.


End file.
